Scary Cases in Otolaryngology

Book excerpt: Scary Cases in Otolaryngology follows a case-based approach that focuses on potential pitfalls, decision analysis, mistakes, and "near misses" in the management of patients with head and neck disorders. This is an invaluable resource for otolaryngologists as it presents difficult cases and builds a discussion around clinical management, prevention, and the legal and ethical aspects of those cases. Current and future professionals in otolaryngology can analyze their own methodologies as well as the work of their peers to continually promote a safer and healthier environment for their patients. Scary Cases in Otolaryngology is an extension of the annual Scary Cases Conference held by the Boston University School of Medicine. The conference began in 2011 and aims to improve patient safety by addressing complex and controversial cases that involve increased risk, complications, and unfavorable outcomes. The cases in the text have been selected from previous conference presentations. This exciting and unique book addresses questions such as Did you make a wrong diagnosis before arriving at the correct one?Do you believe that you did everything correctly and the outcome was still unsatisfactory?Did a patient have a serious condition that was difficult to diagnose?Were there major complications?Did you have a difficult ethical dilemma?Were you required to treat a condition beyond your expertise? This innovative text includes clinical information on cases provided by faculty from top medical schools along with their narratives on what they learned. Contributors also include experts in medical malpractice and malpractice liability insurance. Practicing otolaryngologists, otolaryngology residents, malpractice attorneys, law students, otolaryngology nurse practitioners and primary care physicians will benefit from the examples in these "scary cases."